Monday, April 11, 2016

Week 6 MTC Shenanigans

Why hello everybody! I bet y'all didn't expect to hear from me so soon!! Since we are flying out this Wednesday (the 13th) I get to email again!

It's only been a few days since I last emailed but already so much has happened. I don't know If I mentioned it but in the MTC there are three different kinds of name tags. Black: your standard missionary, white: teachers and staff, and GOLD: actual investigators who are wandering about the MTC grounds waiting to be taught. Why on earth I didn't learn about this my first week is beyond me. But my mga kasama and a few other Sister's from our Zone were studying outside and since we were trying to finish he BOM before we leave Sister Rosser was reading where Jesus visits the Americas. Only 4 to 5 generations later the people turn from God and become wicked again. Sister Rosser sat back in her chair and just began to expound on how she wasn't anywhere as good as Jesus in teaching and how these people were taught by Him and turned away in the end. Just as she was feeling that she could not do it a gold-badge walked by. I called out to her "Hope you have a good day!" since she was headed towards the exit, and she stopped and talked with us. We bore our testimony on the power of prayer and how, as she was receiving lessons from two elders already, she could come to know Christ for herself though continually seeking after it. She said she was going to go home and try praying for the first time! When she left we all just freaked out. Sister Rosser cried. That gold-tag sister was exactly what we needed to boost our confidence in our ability to teach this gospel. We just need to get the language down.

Speaking of language apparently there are two languages in the Philippines; the national language and the village language. The village language changes from village to village but basically 'ilokano' is what the village language is with some changes in slang. So I'll have a fun time learning that as well in the field!

So Sister Brown and I are absolute twins. She is going to the Bagio mission so we will, at most, be able to high five over the boarder.

While we were on break we were messing around with the flowering trees, shaking the limbs to make the petals fall and all that. Soon we had a flower petal fight and I believe I won as I got a whole handful of flower petals down the back of Sister Brown's dress. For the rest of the day she was dropping petals like a flower girl. It was rather funny.

Funny language mishaps, last email I told you about puso and pusa (heart and cat) well right after I told y'all not to get them mixed up I bore my testimony in class about how important it is to listen to the prophet with an open cat. Not exactly what I was going for there... But it was rather funny!!

So, In our Zone Elder Kainga (kay-n-ga) is not only the shortest, but somehow he was designated to be all of the Elder's father.

So Elder Solis (on the left) picked up Elder Kainga and ran to Elder Pitt (on the right) yelling "Elder Pitt!! Your Dad needs you!!" So they swapped Elder Kainga off and Elder Pitt took off running to the class room saying "I got you dad!" It was quite hysterical.

One day we were all rather tired so our teacher, Sister Cope, introduced us to the Philippino fruit game. You all pick a fruit, I picked pakwan, (Pak-wan meaning watermelon) and then you cover your teeth with your lips. The point of the game is to not show your teeth. So Lets say it was my turn and I wanted to pass to Elder Fifita who was Sagging (sah-ging meaning banana) so I would say "Pakwan, pakwan, gusto ko ang sagging." So in English that would be "Watermellon watermellon, I like/ want bananas." It was a hysterical game and even better because I won! Haha.

So even with all the fun we are having we are truly feeling the spirit and following rules with exactness. When we went snipe hunting last week we were in bed by 10:30 and it was a great exercise in growing closer to one another. Same with the mattress surfing, all in our rooms at quiet time and in bed on time. By following the rules so closely we have been truly blessed. On the day's we don't get to bed on time you can instantly feel the lack of spirit, motivation, and ability to retain and learn the language.

I love you all, next time you hear from me it'll be from the Philippines!! Remember that with the time difference that If you send me your emails on Sunday I'll get them Monday, on my p-day! So just to be safe just email me Saturday or as soon as you see my email!! Mahal ko tayo!